Please explain the ending of the Shining. (1 Viewer)

[andreasingo]

My interpretation is, as have been described earlier in this thread, that Jack was at the hotel in a earlier life.

Kubrick have used the theme of reincarnation before, remember the end to 2001 where Dave was reborn as a star-child.

Another thing which makes me think this is the case is the nature of the book which Jack was writing. Remember the whole book was just a big repetition of the same sentence.
That's the nature of Jack's multiple lives, they are repetitions of the same mistakes.

Have anyone else thought about this?

 

[Mike Broadman]

Ok, so what I'm reading is that those who love King more prefer the book and those who love Kubrick prefer the film.
What a shocking revelation!
I excuse myself for laughing because I am just as guilty: Kubrick is my movie God and I don't particularly care for King's writing. So, yes, of course I love this movie. I'm not going to pretend I'm objective about it.

 

[Dave Gorman]

those who love King more prefer the book and those who love Kubrick prefer the film

And I like both King's writing and Kubrick's filmmaking, so I like the book and the film equally. I just need to remember that the title is where the similarities between the two end!

 

[Chris Farmer]

I'll say this, plenty of movies have creeped me out, but The Shining was the only movie that ever truly terrified me. I saw it the summer before my senior year of HS in the middle of the day just sitting around the house, and after the bathroom scene I had to turn it off for an hour just to let my nerves cool down enough for me to be able to finish it.

 

[Luis S]

Thank you Jack .But Ive been trying to move on,Ive just had to explain myself repeatedly to some.However if I may say so,Pointing out something negative about someones looks,is no diffenent than pointng out how HOT someone else is in another movie.But Im glad we can move on now,this was starting to look like one of those gameing hardware threads! Sorry if I offended anybody.
Thanks,
Luis S

 

[Jack Briggs]

Luis, my last comment to you:

Imagine Roger Ebert's credibility enduring somehow if he made the ridiculous assertion that a movie didn't work for him because its lead actress was "so ugly." Imagine how your own posts come off. They are not steeped in film criticism but in locker-room talk. I don't agree with Rain, for example, but he is making points about the film based on an appreciation of cinema. (Is The Year of Living Dangerously undermined by the fact that one of its players is a woman playing a man, and that she is probably not a runway model? Oh, I've spent too many words already on this.) Further discussion via PM, please.

 

[Luis S]

Ok last comment from me also.Jack you have been PM'ed And as for credibility and locker room talk? Last I checked I wasnt getting paid big bucks to review movies :frowning: (and neither are most us on the forum last I checked).We are just average movie watchers who love cinema but can discuss things a little more frankly than a professional would be able to get away with Which I like think is half the fun no?I made my feelings for the movie known,and made a seperate comment after that,no biggie.So enjoy guys but dont take everything that is said to seriously
Later,
Luis S

 

[JasenP]

I have never read the book for the fear of it ruining the film experience for me. I did however watch the dreadful mini-series. King tends to dissapoint me at the end of his stories, mind you I have only read a handful of his books but I've seen just about every film and mini-series based on his works.

I am very happy with how the film ends but the mini-series has that typical King letdown ending.

 

[Luis S]

Hey is the Miniseries on DVD> I told my wife about it and shes curious to see it.Any where I can get my hands on this?Let me know.

Thanks in Advance,

Luis S

 

[Holadem]

Yet again, criticism of a beloved classic is being sidetracked by silly nitpicking about how to express one's opinion. I could get into yet another discussion about why the Shining was such a dissapointment for me, but I am afraid my typos might invalidate my opinions :rolleyes
Eh.. at least no one mentioned MTV.
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Holadem

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

at least no one mentioned MTV.

MTV has nothing to do with what's lacking in King's version of The Shining (book and miniseries) compared to Kubrick's.

 

[Holadem]

Good morning Peter , howya been?
I never watched the mini series, and I am not particularly looking forward to it. It ran a lot in the last couple of days on Sci-Fi I think.
Anyway, I do find it infuriating that King's work is now being re-evaluated in light of Kubrick's dreck of a movie. I know you were kidding (were you? ) but I have seen it done elsewhere.
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Holadem

 

[teapot2001]

Luis, I think the miniseries comes out on DVD in January.

~T

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Hi, Holadem. You got that PM I sent a while ago, right?

Anyway, I do find it infuriating that King's work is now being re-evaluated in light of Kubrick's dreck of a movie. I know you were kidding (were you? ) but I have seen it done elsewhere.

Speaking only for myself, I'm not "re-evaluating" King's work now. I didn't think that much of the book when I read it way back in 1979. King can spin a decent yarn, but he doesn't know when to quit, sometimes. I wasn't a big fan of Kubrick's The Shining either when I first saw it in 1980, but it's grown on me a lot. I think I was looking for a different movie than the one he made (and discovered that it's *always* a mistake to go into a Kubrick film with preconceived notions) and have only, over time, come to appreciate what he turned King's plot (which is what he liked about the book - not the writing and not the ending) into with his film. "Dreck of a movie" - not a chance. It's better than King's book - more interesting characters and less stock situations (the death of Halloran is a masterstroke). Jack isn't crazy from the get-go, either. Since he's got "The Shining" the same as Danny (but doesn't know it), he's going to be susceptible to whatever the Overlook wants him to do.

I'm not sure why you'd avoid King's miniseries, though. From the few parts of it I saw, it's a literal translation of the printed page to screen. Poorly cast, mind you, but it *is* King's words entirely.

 

[Luis S]

Thanks Thi,looking forward to telling the wife about it
Thank you,
Luis S

 

[Rain]

For the record, I never said I was a fan of Mr. King's work. Yes, I read some of his novels when I was much younger, The Shining being one, but I haven't picked up one of his books in several years.

 

[Holadem]

So saturday morning, I wake up, flip on the tube, and Lo and Behold, the Shining is playing, the last 40 minutes or so. Morbid curiosity for a film a hate, I sit and watch. And the most incredible thing happens, I find myself wondering hwo the hell I have missed the unmistakable visual flair this movie displpay, how simply gorgeous it is to look at, how unnerving the music actually is. Those tracking shots. Yikes.

I went to best buy and got it fro $12.50, as part of the 2 for 25 deal. Talk about reversal of opinion.

Eh... at least I am man enough to admit my mistakes...

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Holadem

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Took me more than a few theatrical viewings to warm up to it - glad you joined the club!

 

[ChuckDeLa]

I just finished reading Michael Ciment's brilliant book on Kubrick, and some of the concerns/complaints in this thread were addressed.

Jack is already crazy - Kubrick wanted some ambiguity in the beginning... is there something supernatural going on, or is Jack just nuts? The freezer door being opened by the hotel is what finally removes all doubt.

Wendy too annoying - Kubrick needed viewers to able to sympathize somewhat with Jack's desire to murder his wife.


Kubrick NEVER set out to make a faithful re-creation of any of the works he adapted. With the exception of Lolita, he deliberately chose what he considered to be subpar works to begin with, because he believed he could make them better. With The Shining, he took a mediocre novel and made it into an excellent movie. No one involved with the movie had the slavish respect for the book that the King fanboys have.

 

[Holadem]

With The Shining, he took a mediocre novel and made it into an excellent movie. No one involved with the movie had the slavish respect for the book that the King fanboys have.

OK OK, let's not get silly now. The book is a widely known and well respected work from a widely known and well respected author. One does not have to diss the book in order to enjoy the movie. The Shining (book) is NOT mediocre. Geez. You're starting to sound like me, earlier!

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Holadem